Allen County, Indiana
Allen County is the largest county (by area) in the state of Indiana, United States. As of 2010 Census, the population was 355,329. The county seat and largest city is Fort Wayne . Allen County is within a radius of 17 percent of the total United States population and within a day's drive of half of the nation's population,Fort Wayne Facts. Retrieved 2008-02-27. along with sitting nearly equidistant from Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and Indianapolis.Fort Wayne Facts - City of Fort Wayne. Retrieved on 2008-04-29. Allen County's economy is based on manufacturing, education, health care, and agriculture.Fort Wayne: Economy - City-Data. Retrieved on 2008-04-29. History Allen County was created on December 17, 1823, out of Delaware and Randolph counties and formed April 1, 1824. The county is named for Colonel John Allen, an attorney and Kentucky state senator who was killed in the War of 1812. Fort Wayne, founded at the Maumee River, St. Joseph River, and St. Marys River, was chosen as the county seat in May 1824. Government The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code. County Council: The seven member county council has the ultimate decision-making power regarding fiscal affairs of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Four representatives are elected from county districts, and three members are elected at large. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes. Board of Commissioners: The executive and administrative body of the county is made of a three member board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners serves as president of the board. The commissioners are charged with enacting and executing legislation, the collection of revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government. Court: The county maintains a Circuit Court and a Superior Court.http://www.in.gov/judiciary/allen These are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. Allen Superior Court hears the vast majority of cases, and has several divisions with multiple courtrooms. County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare a party affiliation and to be residents of the county. The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. Most of Allen County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district and is represented by Marlin Stutzman in the United States Congress; a portion of the county is in Indiana's 6th congressional district. It is part of Indiana Senate districts 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19; and Indiana House of Representatives districts 50, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85. Elected officials *'Board of Commissioners'Allen County Government - Commissioners. Retrieved on 2008-07-06. **Linda K. Bloom **Therese M. Brown **F. Nelson Peters .]] *Prosecuting Attorney, Karen E. Richards *Sheriff, Kenneth C. Fries *County Treasurer, Susan Orth (information as of January 2011) Courthouse The Allen County Courthouse was designed by Brentwood S. Tolan of Fort Wayne, and was built by James Stewart and Company of Saint Louis, Missouri. When the cornerstone was laid in 1897, the oldest man in the county, Louis Peltier, was present; he remembered Fort Wayne when it was a fort. The courthouse was completed in 1903 at a total cost of $817,553. Built in the Beaux-Arts architecture style, it was one of the most expensive courthouses in the state. It also was filled with artwork that cost more than other entire courthouses of the time. The building is now used primarily as a government annex, as most of the offices were moved across Main Street to the City-County Building in 1971. Climate and weather }} In recent years, average temperatures in Fort Wayne have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1918 and a record high of was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 331,849 people, 128,745 households, and 86,259 families residing in the county. The population density was 505 people per square mile (195/km²). There were 138,905 housing units at an average density of 211 per square mile (82/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.08% White, 11.31% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.02% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 4.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.3% were of German, 10.3% American, 7.4% Irish and 6.9% English ancestry according to Census 2000. There were 128,745 households out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were married couples living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 27.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.11. In the county the population was spread out with 27.70% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $42,671, and the median income for a family was $52,708. Males had a median income of $39,202 versus $25,980 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,544. About 6.70% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over. Fort Wayne is cited as having the highest Burmese refugee population in the United States, with between 3,000-3,500.Linsenmayer, Steve, A foot in the door: 300 refugees from Burma will move to Fort Wayne this year; getting them settled is a huge and challenging task , Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, July 12, 2007. (Accessed January 27, 2008) Economy In the latter half of the 20th century, shifts in manufacturing patterns led to the reduction of the number of manufacturing plants and jobs in Allen County. However, Allen County's economy has diversified with time to include defense and security, healthcare, and insurance. Agriculture is also a vital part of the county's economy. In 2009, Forbes ranked the Fort Wayne metropolitan area 67th on its list of 200 metropolitan areas in the "Best Places For Business And Careers" report. Individually, Fort Wayne was ranked 5th in cost of living and 12th in cost of doing business.Forbes Best Places For Business And Careers Fort Wayne Profile. Retrieved on 2009-03-28. : Corporations headquartered in Allen County: Education (yellow), Fort Wayne Community Schools (pink), Northwest Allen County Schools (blue), and Southwest Allen County Schools (green).]] Allen County is home of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), with an enrollment of 14,192, it is the fifth-largest public university campus in Indiana. The county also holds the main campus of the Northeast Region of Ivy Tech Community College, the second-largest public community college campus in Indiana. Indiana University maintains the third public higher educational facility in the city with the Fort Wayne Center for Medical Education, a branch of the IU School of Medicine. Religious-affiliated schools in the county include the University of Saint Francis (Roman Catholic), Concordia Theological Seminary (Lutheran), and Indiana Wesleyan University (Wesleyan Church). Business and technical schools include Indiana Institute of Technology (IIT) as well as regional branches of Trine University, Brown Mackie College, Harrison College, ITT Technical Institute, and International Business College. Public education is offered in the four districts of East Allen County Schools, Fort Wayne Community Schools, Northwest Allen County Schools, and Southwest Allen County Schools. By means of private education, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend operate 13 schools within Allen County, while Lutheran Schools of Indiana operate 14 schools within the county. In addition, Blackhawk Christian School and Canterbury School offer private K-12 education in Fort Wayne, while Amish Parochial Schools of Indiana has schools through eighth grade in rural eastern Allen County.The Amish Schools of Indiana: Faith in Education, by Stephen Bowers; p. 40 Harroff. Retrieved on 2009-07-25. Libraries Fort Wayne and Allen County residents have been served by the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) and its thirteen branches since its founding in 1895 as the Fort Wayne Public Library. The entire library system began an $84.1 million overhaul of its branches in 2002, finishing work by 2007.Perez, Pamela, (2001-09-27). The debate over the library It could revitalize downtown, say supporters. It's too big, say opponents. The News-Sentinel. Retrieved on 2009-02-06. The centerpiece, the Main Library Branch, now covers , featuring an art gallery, underground parking garage, bookstore, café, and community auditorium.Allen County Public Library - Main Library Branch. Allen County Public Library. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. According to data from 2005, 5.4 million materials were borrowed by patrons, and 2.5 million visits were made throughout the library system.Allen County Public Library Expansion and Renovation Project. Allen County Public Library. Retrieved on 2008-05-27. The Fred J. Reynolds Historical Genealogy Department, located in the Main Library Branch, is the largest public genealogy department in the United States, home to more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items of microfilm and microfiche.Allen County Public Library - Genealogy. Allen County Public Library. Retrieved on 2008-06-10. Parks In addition to the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation department (see List of parks in Fort Wayne, Indiana), Allen County Parks currently operates four parks: * Fox Island (southwest Allen County near Aboite) * Metea (northeast Allen County near Leo) * Payton (northern Allen County near Huntertown) * Cook’s Landing (northern Allen County on Coldwater Rd.) Allen County Parks are only partially tax supported. Operating expenses must be met through user and program fees. Admission is $2.00 per person age 7 and older. Passes are available on an annual basis (good for one year from purchase date) starting at $15.00. Activities at various parks include hiking, swimming, fishing, sledding, cross-country skiing (rentals available), playgrounds, picnic areas, play fields, and many nature-based programs for all ages. Wheeled vehicles (except wheelchairs) are not permitted on trails, and pets are not permitted in the state nature preserve areas (clearly marked).Allen County Parks. Allen County Parks. Retrieved on 2009-06-05. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.57%) is land and (or 0.43%) is water. It is the largest county in Indiana, land-wise, but ranks as a 'small county' in comparison with the western states. Adjacent counties Allen County is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as nine counties. Indiana actually has two such counties, with nearby Grant County also bordering nine others. Allen and Grant Counties share Huntington and Wells Counties as common neighbors. *Noble County (northwest) *DeKalb County (northeast) *Defiance County, Ohio (northeast) *Paulding County, Ohio (east) *Van Wert County, Ohio (southeast) *Adams County (southeast) *Wells County (southwest) *Huntington County (southwest) *Whitley County (west) Cities, towns, and townships Cities *'Fort Wayne' *New Haven *Woodburn Towns *Grabill *Huntertown *Leo-Cedarville *Monroeville *Zanesville (partial) Unincorporated *Aboite *Arcola *Ari (partial) *Boston Corner *Cuba *Dunn Mill *Edgerton *Halls Corners *Harlan *Hessen Cassel *Hoagland *Lake Everett *Maples *Poe *Tillman *Townley *Yoder *Zulu Extinct *Academie *Centreville *East Liberty *Fairport *Lewisburg *Massillon *Middletown *Thurman *Wallen *Waynedale Townships *Aboite Township *Adams Township *Cedar Creek Township *Eel River Township *Jackson Township *Jefferson Township *Lafayette Township *Lake Township *Madison Township *Marion Township *Maumee Township *Milan Township *Monroe Township *Perry Township *Pleasant Township *Scipio Township *Springfield Township *St. Joseph Township *Washington Township *Wayne Township Transportation Highways Airports * Fort Wayne International Airport * Smith Field Railroads * Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad * CSX Transportation * Maumee and Western Railroad * Norfolk Southern Railway See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Allen County, Indiana References Further reading * External links *Allen County official website *Allen County Parks Department *ARCH, Inc. (Allen County historic architecture preservation group) *Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau *Fort Wayne–Allen County Economic Development Alliance Category:Allen County, Indiana Category:Counties of Indiana Category:Fort Wayne metropolitan area Category:Established in 1824